


Haunted

by xLostDreamsx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Indication of Eating Disorder, M/M, Post-Season/Series 03 AU, Sad Derek, Traumatized Stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 17:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1950387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLostDreamsx/pseuds/xLostDreamsx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is struggling to recover after the events of the Nogitsune, Derek is terrified to be watching him falling apart before his eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haunted

Exhausted after a long day out working, negotiating, planning ahead to try and maintain some kind of stability for the town. Sitting behind a desk for far too many hours, discussing events with officials and trying to convince others of what will work, what will be futile. Forcing myself to be polite, grit my teeth and when feelings of anger rise, excusing myself for the bathroom, trying to keep my fangs from pricking my lip as they force their way out in frustration. My brain just feels fried from being enclosed all day and from being away from Stiles for too long. I know he’s back tonight and the urgency to get home is a pull I’ve been feeling tug at me all day. 

The journey home that always seems to take too long seems especially tedious tonight. Lights flicker past in the dark of the evening, a fine rain falling whilst stuck in a traffic jam listening to chirpy radio DJ’s rambling on inanely. Driving too fast down our winding road and the relief of pulling up outside, key in the door and the familiar smell of home, safety and the one person I care about above all, the only one who can centre me. Kicking off my shoes, loosening the tie and quickly checking over any new mail, I can feel my shoulders start to loosen from their tenseness, a sigh of contentment as the tension started to unknot itself from my shoulders.

It's quiet in the apartment and wondering through the hallway I walk towards the dim light of the living room, the small light on in the corner just illuminating his dozing form lying on the couch. His knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around him making him look smaller than ever. A black hoody enveloping his frame, the hood pulled low to his eyes. Slowly approaching him, I can’t help but smile looking at his slim feet enclosed in baggy old socks, I can see his chest slowly rising and falling, his mouth slightly parted with each exhalation of breath. The flutter in my stomach at seeing his peace settled on his beautiful fine features, I crouch beside him, drawing my face close to his so I can take in the delicate markings of his face, see each small freckle that dapples his smooth pale skin, see each blade of hair starting to show growth on his chin, close enough to count his eyelashes. 

Unable to help myself, I reach out a hand and gently stroke his arm, then move my hand to slightly pull back his hood so I can see him better in the light. He starts to stir, stretching a long, slim leg and lying straight out, his eyes flicker open slowly and he turns to look at me, blearily coming back to consciousness.

‘Hey’ he murmured in a deep voice, his sweet smile sending butterflies soaring from my stomach and down, making me ache for him. 

‘Anybody ever tell you that you look like an angel when you sleep?’

A hoarse laugh, ’yeah, you did yesterday’

I stroke his forehead pushing back the soft limp hair that hangs down, ‘ah yeah’ I smile and brush my lips against his soft, sweet smelling skin. I stay close and breathe him in, the scent that I adore and makes life shine brighter. I would do anything for this boy, anything to protect him and keep him safe. His eyes have closed again and he reaches out an arm, his hand finding my shoulder, slowly working its way up to my face where he cups my cheek and rests his thumb on my lips. I can feel the coolness of his fingers and cover his hand with my own, holding him there. I love him so deeply that it scares me how little my life would mean without him, if I could freeze time eternal to this moment I would. I gently kiss his thumb and pull each finger to my mouth, he moans and gives a small laugh and gazes back at me with his golden eyes pulling me in deep. His other hand moves to his belly where he hitches up his top to scratch himself lazily, the glimpse of his bare skin is so delicious I can’t help but gently draw myself over him. 

My weight holds him down, our torsos pressed together, I am aware of how delicate he feels beneath me. I rise up to pull his hoody off which he helps me with, he’s wearing my favourite raggedy blue shirt underneath that once upon a time had belonged to me, he’s had it so long now that it’s faded and torn, but on him he looks like a prince. His fingers are in my hair and I gaze down at him feeling suddenly very aware of his smallness... when did he get so small? I pull up the t-shirt to reveal his thin chest, his ribs poking through with a sharpness they didn’t use to. I kneel over him and bend to kiss the trail of hair leading from his belly button before moving up, kissing each rib bone softly and with a sigh as I stoke his skin... ‘Stiles..?’

He knows what I ask and I already know the answer. I can see the pain in his eyes as he can see the pain I feel for him, for the sadness I try so hard to pull out of him. ‘It’s fine.. please don’t...’ he whispers, ‘not tonight’. 

His lips are dry as he speaks and the seriousness and anguish I can see in his face make my heart want to break. His eyes are heavy and I can see how tired he is, not just tired, plain _exhausted_. He’s trying so hard to get through this, to repair the damage done to him but it’s hard to easily get over a darkness that has infected your soul. Hard to forget the memories of seeing those around you experience horror and the pain felt so deeply within that you were the one to cause it.

‘You’re too beautiful for this, too precious’ I whisper back and run my hands over his chest feeling his thudding heart below the thin, fragile skin under my finger tips. 

‘Please.. just stay here’, he gazes at me and I see the glint of tears. 

Feeling scared, I lie on my side next to him and pull him into my chest, my arms enclosing him tightly, never wanting to let him go or to let the world hurt him ever again. I hold my face against his hair and gently kiss the tip of his ear, ‘I’ll never go anywhere, you’re stuck with me and you know it’, I try to sound light-hearted and to keep any hint of tears out of my voice. This incredible fragile boy who shows such strength, intelligence and usually glows with a vivaciousness that could out-shine the sun is slowly falling apart and as strong as my arms are, tonight they’re not enough to hold him together.


End file.
